Post by Shepherd on Aug 12, 2009 14:05:40 GMT -6
24b
FELIX HAS PAUL IN FOR A PRIVATE AUDIENCE.
ACTS 24:24-25...AND AFTER CERTAIN DAYS, WHEN FELIX CAME WITH HIS WIFE DRUSILLA, WHICH WAS A JEWESS, HE SENT FOR PAUL, AND HEARD HIM CONCERNING THE FAITH IN CHRIST. AND AS HE REASONED OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, TEMPERANCE, AND JUDGMENT TO COME, FELIX TREMBLED, AND ANSWERED, GO THY WAY FOR THIS TIME; WHEN I HAVE A CONVENIENT SEASON, I WILL CALL FOR THEE.
After a few day passed Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jew. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he talked about faith in Christ Jesus. But as Paul went on discussing about goodness, self-control, and the coming day of judgment, Felix was afraid and said, You may leave now. I will call you again when I get the chance. Sinners will never have a more convenient time to hear the gospel.
I believe that Felix knew something about the gospel. What we call Christianity or the way. Some people say we live in a Christian nation, but we are living in a Christian nation. We have a lot of church members, but the number of real Christians composes a small minority today.
I believe the reason Felix called Paul in was for him to explain to him the gospel. Paul explain the faith of Christ to him. What Paul was doing here was in his second appearance before Felix was witnessing to him, trying to win this man for Christ.
Felix was a slave, who through cruelty and brutality had forged to the front. He was a man given to pleasure. His wife Drusilla sat there alongside him. Again secular history turns the spotlight on her for us. She was a daughter of Herod Agrippa I. Her father killed the apostle James.
This couple were a couple of rascals. They came before Paul to here about Christ Jesus, of which if Paul came to town preaching they would not have went to hear him. They wanted a interview with the greatest Preacher of the grace of God that we have ever known.
PSALM 2:10..BE WISE NOW THEREFORE, O YE KINGS; BE INSTRUCTED, YE JUDGES OF THE EARTH.
I believe this was the hour of salvation for them. The door was open for them to enter in at for salvation. A great opportunity to enter. I believe that they heard Paul with a great deal of interest. I believe Felix would have liked to have made a decision for Christ, but he didn’t make that decision. He wanted to wait for a more convenient season. But he will never have a more convenient time to except God.
The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference. (See Rom. 3:22). Paul reasoned with them about the righteousness of the law which he could not meet and the righteousness which Christ provides the sinner who puts his trust in Him.
Felix was a man mastered by passion and cruelty. They did not know what real freedom was. Then Paul spoke about the judgment to come, which is the final judgment at the Great White Throne of Revelation 20:11-15.
If you have put your trust in Jesus, then He paid the penalty for your sins over nineteen hundred years ago. They do not lie ahead of you for judgment in the future. But if your sins today are still on you, then there is yet a judgment to come. People don’t like to hear about judgment to come. Felix did not want to hear this. Very few preachers touch on this subject.
Hell-fire and damnation is a pretty good subject if it is used to lead one to Christ. But we need to add the plan of salvation to it.
To many people put off making a decision for Christ until it is to late.
ACTS 24:26...HE HOPED ALSO THAT MONEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN HIM OF PAUL, THAT HE MIGHT LOOSE HIM; WHEREFORE HE SENT FOR HIM THE OFTENER, AND COMMUNED WITH HIM.
Felix was hoping that Paul would give him some money; and for this reason he would call for him often and talk with him. This should let us know that Felix was a crook. He hoped that Paul would bribed him and he would let Paul go.
ACTS 24:27..BUT AFTER TWO YEARS PORCIUS FESTUS CAME INTO FELIX’ ROOM; AND FELIX, WILLING TO SHEW THE JEWS A PLEASURE, LEFT PAUL BOUND.
Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jews by leaving Paul in prison. He played politics to the very end. Roman justice was no better than the men who executed it. If Paul was guilty of treason, he should have been put to death. But if he was not guilty he should had been freed. He should not have been left in prison for two years.
ACTS 24:24-25...AND AFTER CERTAIN DAYS, WHEN FELIX CAME WITH HIS WIFE DRUSILLA, WHICH WAS A JEWESS, HE SENT FOR PAUL, AND HEARD HIM CONCERNING THE FAITH IN CHRIST. AND AS HE REASONED OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, TEMPERANCE, AND JUDGMENT TO COME, FELIX TREMBLED, AND ANSWERED, GO THY WAY FOR THIS TIME; WHEN I HAVE A CONVENIENT SEASON, I WILL CALL FOR THEE.
After a few day passed Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jew. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he talked about faith in Christ Jesus. But as Paul went on discussing about goodness, self-control, and the coming day of judgment, Felix was afraid and said, You may leave now. I will call you again when I get the chance. Sinners will never have a more convenient time to hear the gospel.
I believe that Felix knew something about the gospel. What we call Christianity or the way. Some people say we live in a Christian nation, but we are living in a Christian nation. We have a lot of church members, but the number of real Christians composes a small minority today.
I believe the reason Felix called Paul in was for him to explain to him the gospel. Paul explain the faith of Christ to him. What Paul was doing here was in his second appearance before Felix was witnessing to him, trying to win this man for Christ.
Felix was a slave, who through cruelty and brutality had forged to the front. He was a man given to pleasure. His wife Drusilla sat there alongside him. Again secular history turns the spotlight on her for us. She was a daughter of Herod Agrippa I. Her father killed the apostle James.
This couple were a couple of rascals. They came before Paul to here about Christ Jesus, of which if Paul came to town preaching they would not have went to hear him. They wanted a interview with the greatest Preacher of the grace of God that we have ever known.
PSALM 2:10..BE WISE NOW THEREFORE, O YE KINGS; BE INSTRUCTED, YE JUDGES OF THE EARTH.
I believe this was the hour of salvation for them. The door was open for them to enter in at for salvation. A great opportunity to enter. I believe that they heard Paul with a great deal of interest. I believe Felix would have liked to have made a decision for Christ, but he didn’t make that decision. He wanted to wait for a more convenient season. But he will never have a more convenient time to except God.
The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference. (See Rom. 3:22). Paul reasoned with them about the righteousness of the law which he could not meet and the righteousness which Christ provides the sinner who puts his trust in Him.
Felix was a man mastered by passion and cruelty. They did not know what real freedom was. Then Paul spoke about the judgment to come, which is the final judgment at the Great White Throne of Revelation 20:11-15.
If you have put your trust in Jesus, then He paid the penalty for your sins over nineteen hundred years ago. They do not lie ahead of you for judgment in the future. But if your sins today are still on you, then there is yet a judgment to come. People don’t like to hear about judgment to come. Felix did not want to hear this. Very few preachers touch on this subject.
Hell-fire and damnation is a pretty good subject if it is used to lead one to Christ. But we need to add the plan of salvation to it.
To many people put off making a decision for Christ until it is to late.
ACTS 24:26...HE HOPED ALSO THAT MONEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN HIM OF PAUL, THAT HE MIGHT LOOSE HIM; WHEREFORE HE SENT FOR HIM THE OFTENER, AND COMMUNED WITH HIM.
Felix was hoping that Paul would give him some money; and for this reason he would call for him often and talk with him. This should let us know that Felix was a crook. He hoped that Paul would bribed him and he would let Paul go.
ACTS 24:27..BUT AFTER TWO YEARS PORCIUS FESTUS CAME INTO FELIX’ ROOM; AND FELIX, WILLING TO SHEW THE JEWS A PLEASURE, LEFT PAUL BOUND.
Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jews by leaving Paul in prison. He played politics to the very end. Roman justice was no better than the men who executed it. If Paul was guilty of treason, he should have been put to death. But if he was not guilty he should had been freed. He should not have been left in prison for two years.
